by Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Sports

A general manager must manage the salary cap to make sure the team has enough flexibility to solve problems when they arrive. Peter Chiarelli has been a top GM but lacked the money to keep Jarome Iginla. Now they must replace his 30 goals.

Buffalo Sabres: B

GM Tim Murray signed leader Brian Gionta, scorer Matt Moulson, role player Cody McCormick and defenseman Andrej Meszaros. When you factor in his drafting and the trade for defenseman Josh Gorges, Murray has put the team in the right position for rebuilding.

The Scott Hartnell trade makes them more playoff-ready. Depth forward Brian Gibbons also is a good pickup.

Detroit Red Wings: D

They wanted to sign a right-handed-shooting defenseman but couldn't win the recruiting battle. Free agents seem reluctant to come to Detroit because it's difficult to project how good this team will be moving forward. The Red Wings are a mix of older players and skilled youngsters.

Florida Panthers: B-

GM Dale Tallon overpaid to land center Dave Bolland, winger Jussi Jokinen and defenseman Willie Mitchell. But he has to overpay to get players. Fans would not have been happy if Tallon did nothing. At the least, Jokinen and Bolland will play all 200 feet of the ice. Mitchell showed in the playoffs that he can still play. Tough guy Shawn Thornton brings courage.

Montreal Canadiens: C

When the smoke cleared, the Canadiens were not a better team. They traded Gorges and signed Tom Gilbert. Manny Malhotra, a faceoff and defensive specialist, was a high-quality signing. But they lost leader Gionta and traded Danny Briere for P.A. Parenteau.

New Jersey Devils: B-

Mike Cammalleri should provide a spark. He could score 20 to 25 goals. Martin Havlat was an inexpensive pickup at $1.5 million, provided he stays healthy. He's good friends with Patrik Elias. The seven-year, $42 million for Cory Schneider seems steep for a goalie who hadn't made 45 appearances before last season.

New York Islanders: B

The Islanders upgraded in net (Evgeni Nabokov out, Jaroslav Halak in) and added two skilled forwards in Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin. GM Garth Snow must work on his defense.

New York Rangers: C-

A couple of weeks after they were in the Stanley Cup Final, they lost key players Anton Stralman and Brian Boyle to free agency. Persuading Dan Boyle to join the team was a bonus.

Ottawa Senators: C

The Senators picked up winger Alex Chiasson and two prospects they liked for Spezza and signed skating center David Legwand as Spezza's replacement. Kyle Turris is the team's No. center, and Legwand, a two-way center, should slot in at No. 2. Legwand's only issue is his consistency.

Philadelphia Flyers: C-

GM Ron Hextall hopes trading Hartnell for R.J. Umberger will boost the offense. Hextall had no cap room available to make other significant moves. He added defenseman Nick Schultz, which might lead him to move out a defenseman. He could create cap room if he can move Vincent Lecavalier.

Pittsburgh Penguins: A

New GM Jim Rutherford made a bold move by shipping out James Neal for Patric Hornqvist and Nick Spaling. He then made one of the best free agent signings, landing defenseman Christian Ehrhoff for one season at $4 million. The Penguins also added Steve Downie, a feisty forward with offensive skill. He could end up on the second or third line.

Anyone expecting the Maple Leafs to make a major deal was disappointed. They mostly shuffled chairs. Bolland and Raymond signed elsewhere and Gleason was bought out. Kontinental Hockey League forward Leo Komarov was signed, along with Mike Santorelli and defenseman Stephane Robidas, 37. The acquisition of Roman Polak in the Carl Gunnarsson trade makes them a little more rugged. The Leafs might not be done making moves.

Washington Capitals: C

New GM Brian MacLellan landed prize free agent Matt Niskanen, but overpaid to sign Brooks Orpik (five years, $27.5 million). The hockey world was stunned by how much Orpik got. But here is the good news for Washington fans: Both players will fit nicely into coach Barry Trotz's defensive system. He will squeeze whatever Orpik has left. The Caps will be better defensively. The only concern about Niskanen is whether he had a career year instead of a breakthrough season. The loss of Grabovski creates another hole at center. We've seen that before in Washington.